Chaitya Hall with a Stupa

Chaitya Hall with a Stupa 

Ajanta Caves,Gupta Period, 3rd -5th Century CE

           Ajanta Caves are a honeycomb of huge Chaitya halls ( prayer halls ) and Viharas  (monasteries ) which are interlinked. Prior to the Gupta Period,  buildings were constructed in wood. Therefore we do not find remains of the wooden stryctures. During the Gupta Period we started building cave temples. But these caves reflect the wooden architecture.  Notice the ribs in the ceiling. These ribs are not really required as the ribs do not support any super - structure.  They are the imitation of wooden construction.  

           The huge halls were once plastered and painted with frescoes.  Frescoes are different from murals. While the former is done on fresh plaster, the latter is done on dry plaster. Since the fresh plaster soaks in the colours, frescoes last longer than murals. In Ajanta Caves they have lasted for almost 1800 years! 

            The architecture of Ajanta was copied through Tibet,  and China. The concept of Stupa (the structure in the middle of the hall) is central to Buddhist architecture.  These stupid were constructed in Afghanistan,  Pakistan,  Sikkim, Bhutan and China. The Chinese subsequently invented the Pagoda which subsequently speed to Korea and Japan. 

             A Stupa is basically a burial mound where either the relic of a holy person (or of Buddha) or the ashes of such holy person is kept. The Stupa at Sanchi contained the ashes of two of Buddha's disciples.  The oldest Stupa in India is in District Alwar in Rajasthan.  The largest Stupa is in Bangladesh.  In ancient India Amravati had the most grand Stupa. The new capital of Andhra  Pradesh  is also named Amravati.  Our ties with Buddhism are still alive.